Painted stones - NOT amateur radio

I have mentioned these before.

All around our village, people hide painted stones of all shapes, sizes and patterns.

We found one earlier this week (shown in the photo) and it has since been re-hidden in a new spot. Kids love it. My wife and I are just overgrown kids! The idea is to send a photo to a dedicated group and re-hide.

10m FT8 RX again today

OK, I am a sucker! Today I am again monitoring 10m FT8 RX. So far, just G4HZW (210km) spotted. Yesterday, 3 stations were spotted, all Europeans.

UPDATE 1442z: So far today 5 different G stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX, but no EU stations and no "real" DX.

UPDATE 1716z:  EA1AKS (1037km) spotted.

Sunspots - Friday March 30th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=1

MLS Easter deals

Martin Lynch (MLS) has some deals for Easter.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/

SDR (Software Defined Radio) book

This is fairly recent book by Andrew Barron ZL3DW. I got my copy recently from the RSGB book shop. Having no experience with SDRs I find the book fascinating. Clearly SDRs are the future.

QRP News from Oleg

Oleg RX3G reports:

"Dear Club 72 members and friends,

600 kB of 3 pages, download -
http://club72.su/vestnik/qv5.pdf
enjoy reading # 5 issue of the "Vestnik" (March, 2018). Use Google or
other translator to read Russian texts. In the issue:
- QRP Rendez-Vous results
- QRP-X results list
- Sofa regen RX
- 455 kHz oscillator on ceres
- QRP Marathon "Look I the Horizon"
Thanks Igor R2AJA and Sergey RW3DF for assistance!

72! Oleg RX3G / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please."

Return to 472kHz WSPR RX

After a day on 10m FT8 RX I have now returned to 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX. On 10m I also spotted an OZ early afternoon that did not get uploaded to PSKreporter.

So far, G4GIR, G8GPO and DH5RAE (995km) spotted on 472kHz WSPR this evening.

UPDATE 2106z:  6 uniques with best DX LA2XPA (1310km).

Ickworth (N.T.) lambs - NOT amateur radio

Most years around now, we visit nearby Ickworth to see the new lambs. This year, things are later, but this morning we went. Daffodils there are largely not out, but there were plenty of lambs.

Banks - NOT amateur radio

Allegedly, Barclays Bank is to pay $2billion to settle a US fraud case.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43585546 .

Now, I am no financial expert, but I get sickened by tales of banks not behaving. I am sure Barclays is no worse than many others, but at the height of the financial crisis we bailed out many banks and probably saved the financial sector from total melt-down with taxpayers money. The least we can expect is that our banks are "whiter than white". Meanwhile, the rich get richer and nurses get no pay rises for years. To quote a famous UK politician, " we are all in this together". Oh yes? Oh no we are definitely not.

33 minutes and 3 people (2 overseas) later, I managed to contact Barclays over a query that should have been made clear in a letter I got sent. As far as I am concerned, banks have got worse in the last 40 years. Their customer service is generally crap.

OFCOM and diversity

OFCOM has just published its diversity plan until 2022.

I quote (the words are their's):

These are to:

• build a diverse and inclusive workforce to better reflect the UK population we serve;
• ensure diversity and inclusion are central to our work practices and culture so everyone understands, supports and is accountable for diversity; and
• ensure the different needs and interests of all individuals are considered when carrying out our regulatory work.

Whilst diversity and inclusivity are important, I don't need OFCOM to write a darn plan!!! Instead just employ more one-legged green people to get on with enforcement, PLEASE.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-3/diversity-inclusion-programme-2018-2022?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dip